How To Trim A Beard | Complete Beard Makeover Guide

Bubba Stacy
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Feature | barber scissors shaving bearded man | How To Trim A Beard | Complete Beard Makeover Guide | how to trim a mustache

Let Wild Willies enlighten you on the ins and outs of how to a trim a beard.

In this article:

  1. How to Trim a Mustache
  2. Steps for Short Beard Trimming
  3. How to Trim a Long Beard

How to Trim a Beard | Easy Beard Maintenance For You

 

How to Trim a Mustache

Your mustache, if you have one, complements your beard and completes your look. You definitely need to invest time in trimming this essential facial hair feature.

Step 1. Assemble Your Tools

You’ll need a fine-toothed comb, a clipper or a razor, a mirror, and a pair of scissors.

Step 2. Groom Your Mustache Hairs

Get your fine-toothed comb and start combing your mustache hairs to straighten them.

Step 3. Clean the Outlines of Your Mustache

Take your clipper or scissors and start cutting away at the mustache hairs going past your upper lip.

Cut so that you’re moving from the center of your mustache to the side.

Next, you’ll want to use your scissors or clippers to remove renegade or wild hairs at the top of your mustache. Make sure you do it slowly so you don’t cut too much and affect the overall shape of your ‘stache.

Step 4. Thin That Bad Boy Down

Use your fine-toothed comb and brush your mustache hairs upwards and away, and then keep the comb there. Let it work as a guard and use your scissors or clippers to trim away any hair peeking out of the comb’s teeth.

You can also use your clippers equipped with a high guard setting to do this task.

Step 5. Extra Step for Longer Mustaches: Wax Your Mustache

Apply a bead of your mustache wax on the middle of the facial hair.

Avoid putting wax on the end of your mustache during this stage.

Step 6. Extra Step for Longer Mustaches: Lift the Ends of Your ‘Stache

This is for guys with handlebar mustaches or Imperial mustaches.

Handlebar Mustache Definition: a lengthy mustache with an upwardly curved end that extends beyond above the lips

Imperial Mustache Definition: is also a thick, lengthy mustache similar to the handlebar mustache but with external edges as far as up to the cheekbones

Lift one end of the ‘stache and cut away any facial hairs in the corner of your lips if they’re not part of the beard style you’re going for.

Step 7. Style the Mustache

man trimming his mustache | How To Trim A Beard | Complete Beard Makeover Guide | beard trimming

Apply a bead of your mustache wax on your fingertip and distribute it on your mustache. Use the comb to style it and remember to twirl the ends of the mustache or shape them according to the mustache style you want.

Steps for Short Beard Trimming

Step 1. Grow Out Your Facial Hair First

You’ll need to add more volume before you can start trimming it down, or you might end up shearing off too much facial hair.

Step 2. Assemble Your Tools

You will need a beard brush, scissors, a razor, a mirror, and clippers with different guard settings.

Step 3. Wash Your Beard

When your beard is ready, you’ll need to clean it first, so wash it with a beard wash.

Step 4. Dry the Wet Beast

Dry your beard because moisture will extend your beard hairs. You’ll definitely cut more than you bargained for if you do it while your beard is wet.

Step 5. Trim Your Mustache

Just follow the instructions in the first set of steps above and you’ll be fine.

Step 6. Make Outlines for a Clean Trim

Take your razor and start defining the outer lines of the areas, like your sideburns or your goatee.

Step 7. Find Your Beard Neckline and Trim

Your beard neckline is an invisible line that starts from the top of your Adam’s apple and connects to the sides of your jaw.

Use the neckline to guide you and cut or shave away any beard hair that exceeds the neckline for a tighter looking beard.

Step 8. Shave the Extras

Anything outside of the outlines you’ve set earlier with your razor should go.

Step 9. Apply Beard Oil and Style

young bearded man washing his face | How To Trim A Beard | Complete Beard Makeover Guide | beard maintenance

Now for the nice bonus, use your beard oil and give your beard a nice, brisk face massage to distribute the elixir.

RELATED: 9 Tips To Choosing The Best Beard Scissors Like A Pro

How to Trim a Long Beard

Step 1. Prepare Your Tools

You’ll need a mirror, a pair of scissors, a blow dryer, clippers, a clipper guard with different settings, a razor, and a fine-toothed comb.

Step 2. Take a Shower

Make sure you use beard wash to soften and condition your beard hairs.

Step 3. Dry Your Beard Before You Work Your Beard

The water will straighten the kinks of your beard hair and extend them. If you cut your beard when it’s wet, you’ll cut away more than you want.

Use a blow dryer if you’re in a hurry, but it’s best to air-dry your beard.

Step 4. Brush Your Beard Out

portrait stylish young man brushing his beard | How To Trim A Beard | Complete Beard Makeover Guide | beard maintenance

Take your beard brush and brush in the direction of the beard hairs. You’ll need to straighten your beard hairs, remove frizz, and puff out the hairs.

Step 5. Work the Bottom First

Use the clippers and go for the highest guard setting so you don’t trim too much of your beard.

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Trim the back portions first and then the front.

If you’re trying to grow your beard, take out your scissors instead and cut away at the tips of the beard hairs. Take out any renegade hairs while you’re at it.

Step 6. Fade Your Sideburns and Your Beard Together

Use your clippers and set the guard a notch down from the highest setting or two.

Apply pressure gently while trimming your facial hair on your cheeks and your sideburns. Take note to copy the setting your barber uses when he works the sides of your face.

Make sure the hairs on your cheek and your sideburns blend into each other well. This is what you call a fade.

Talk to your barber and watch him do it if you can’t do it yourself. It takes a lot of practice to perfect this technique.

Step 7. Use Your Razor

Take out your razor and make sure you define the lines around your mustache, your sideburns, and around the facial hair you want to keep in your cheeks.

Shave away any extra hair outside of these areas.

Step 8. Polish With Scissors

Go for the scissors and make finishes on your beard. Remove any misbehaving hair and even out uneven beard hairs with your scissors.

Step 9. Trim Your Mustache and Clean Up and Groom

Remember to trim your mustache by following the instructions above.

Finally, put a dash of beard oil on your beard brush, brush away any loose hairs, and give your bush a mighty pampering.

Distribute the oil evenly with your beard brush.

 

Learn to trim your beard, watch this video from Dan Beck:

These steps on how to trim a beard serve as the foundation for beard grooming, more than buying beard care tools and products or applying the latest fad in beard styles.

An unkempt beard is bad for business and boxes you into every negative stereotype people have of bearded men. Take care of your beard with these steps and your beard will highlight your best manly qualities instead of casting you in a bad light.

What other beard grooming secrets do you want to know? Give us your answers in the comments section below. We’ll feature them in future articles.

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